Well, I’ve finally started the book The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. It’s based on the Jewish legend of a man a named Honi who drew a circle in the dirt and said, “God, I will not move from this circle until you bring rain on Israel.” Although this almost seems like a demand on God, the author explains that God wants us to be bold in our prayers. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for some time, but I just couldn’t get finished with John Bevere’s book The Fear Of The Lord. It was more than I could handle. Let me also recommend a book called Qualified, for anyone considering ministry. One of the best books I’ve ever read on preparing for ministry. I wish I had read it (although it wasn’t written back then) before I went into ministry.
I know you might think this blog is about these books, however, it is actually about reading books. I was never much of a reader. Susan, and my son, Phillip, like to read. In school I only read what I had to. In my early ministry, many people came to me and asked if I had read this new book or that new book. I usually just said, “No.” I even got to the place I thought it was a mistake to follow after the latest book fad. Everyone had to read the latest thing, or they weren’t “with it.” I was almost to the point I resented the fact that all my time spent in God’s Word wasn’t enough. I wasn’t a “good” Pastor unless I kept up with all the new books.
I know a few Pastors that all they do is read. In fact, I think they enjoy it too much. Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t read, but let me give you my slant on it. Reading for me is a tool of ministry. Therefore it doesn’t matter whether I enjoy it or not. It is a necessity. That being said, what you read is the real question. Personally I adhere closely to the Assemblies of God recommended reading list. We are even producing a reading list at Calvary this year. Also, when I was finishing my schooling for ordination, there were a lot of books I needed to read, for school and for my internship. These books have become tools in my ministry.
I guess you could say, I read for information. I do not get into inspirational books, human drama, or fiction. Neither do a appreciate speculation, including prophecy or myths. I try to avoid controversial topics all together. Why? Mainly because I’m looking for material that I can teach to others. Therefore it has to be proven and reliable. Yes, I know a lot of other stuff, but I wouldn’t want to feed it to my congregation.
Proverbs 4:26 says, “Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.” It is important to preach sound doctrine. Many people run to and fro seeking out some new thing to ponder. They speculate over controversy like it was chocolate cake. They want a taste of this and a taste of that, then wonder why their lives are so unstable, especially when it comes to witnessing to others. Their testimony is just confused knowledge from unreliable sources.
The internet has heightened what I’m talking about to a great degree. You can follow links to infinity on any topic you can imagine. Webpages are filled with misinformation, which people most readily pass on to others as truth. Controversy and conspiracy are rampant on the web. Sometimes I find myself researching something only to discover I have been sucked into the deception once again. I get tired of checking facts. I have come to realize I’m just wasting my time and polluting my mind cruising1 the web.
Which brings me back to my reason for sharing this. Sometimes we can spend too much time prepping ourselves through books for a life we never get around to living. There is not a Pastor I know whose study is not filled with books. If books made us wise, we would have solved the world’s problems long ago with the amount of information we have taken in. It reminds me of when the Israelites complained about not having meat to eat. The next day they were buried in it. Knowledge is the same. God has simply shown us, we can’t know it all. We will drown in the sheer volume of things to know. Therefore focusing on what is important is imperative if we are going to be fruitful in our lives.
I had a friend in Texas who was a know-it-all. Everything I said was answered with, “I knew that.” He prided himself in knowing things — and he did know a lot of things. However, his life was a mess and he was the epitome of useless. Often I would counsel him, “What are you going to DO with your life?” I guess he was going to store more information like a human library. I know I’m being harsh, but learning information cannot be a way of life. When Paul was speaking in Athens, he perceived they were far too superstitious. Because in Acts 17:21 the Bible says, “For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.” Knowledge and speculation can be an addiction. We can mistakenly make it our goal to know stuff, instead of do stuff with what we know. The Bible clearly warns us to not deceive ourselves by being hearers only. (James 1:22) Reading may be learning, but it is not doing.
There is one important step between reading about something and experiencing it. The best illustration I can think of is flying a plane. You can read about it all of your life, but that does not mean you know how to fly a plane. You must experience it. There is a season of learning, but there is also a season of doing. They work together to make us productive in our lives.
I see this problem a lot in ministry. I have often struggled with people who know so much about the Bible, but fail to live what they know. So to me, they haven’t learned anything yet. Knowledge should make us accountable for what we know. This is a biblical principle many have missed. God will judge us for the disparity between our knowledge of the Word and our acting upon it. This is why in 2 Timothy 3:7 it says some were “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Very sad. The Bible also says, “You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?” (Romans 2:21)
So here’s what I asked the Lord, “Am I doing right by reading all these books?” his answer was profound and challenging, “Yes, for now.” As I began to meditate on his answer I realized that I was again in a season of equipping. This equipping is for a more active prayer ministry in my life. However, all the knowledge in the world will not help unless I begin to pray. I sincerely hope we can get this principle — learn, do, teach. We cannot skip the “do” part or we will not accurately express the “teach” part. Too many people learn something just to teach it to others (or judge others, or impress others, etc.). The truth is, they have not learned it until they have done it. Learn it - live it. Don’t teach it until you do!
This is why biblical truth has been so despised in our culture today. We tout all this knowledge, yet we haven’t learned enough to change anything in our own lives. This is a shame — and a work of the enemy.
I will continue to read, especially The Circle Maker, but I will always remember what the Lord said — “For now.” Then I must take what I have learned and put it to the test by being a doer of the Word.
1 to sail about in an area without a precise destination, especially for pleasure